Breakfast Recipes

I've never been the kind of person that loves breakfast. In High School I probably wouldn't even eat it most days, and going out to breakfast seemed like such a waste of time and money on a meal that I never feel good after. This was a hard adjustment for Brian who absolutely LOVES breakfast because I never wanted to make it. So I found some breakfast recipes of meals that at least sounded kind of decent to me and made them for three days, and let me tell you I am now a converted lover of breakfast. They were so easy and had at least one healthy alternative to some fatty meal I had made before. They have all been added to "the list" of meals I will make again. I absolutely love cooking but I'm also picky about the meals I will make on a regular basis, and more often than not I'll end up making a few adjustments of my own to get them just right. Here are the recipes:

Pumpkin Pancakes:

Trust me, I was as hesitant as anyone about this recipe. For one, pumpkin is pretty bland and pancakes are too (without anything on top). For two, I got this recipe while reading an article about sneaking veggies into your kids food, which didn't build much confidence for me that you had to sneak it in to get your kids to eat it. To my surprise these were extremely moist and very flavorful!

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. sugar

1tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk so I mixed 1 Tbs.

lemon juice with 1 cup of milk

and let it stand for 5 minutes,

its a great alternative!)

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

1. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Melt 1 Tbs. butter. Whisk in egg, buttermilk, pumpkin, and melted butter.

(Note: Because I thought it would be a little bland, I decided to mix it up and add a sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves. We thought it was just what this recipe needed)

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. butter, swirl pan to coat. Spoon on batter and flip just like a regular pancake.

3. Cover with syrup (the recipe says maple syrup but the regular kind was just fine) and raspberries if you have them.

I also made bacon and eggs on the side, and for a healthy spin on eggs add some red bell pepper! Its so delicious and such an easy add. If you're feeling crazy that morning, go ahead and add some mushroom and onion too, and I season with Santa Maria Style Seasoning.

Pancakes with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Okay could there be an easier recipe? All you need are some fresh strawberries,

Some pancakes and whipped cream,

Smother them with syrup,

And enjoy : )



Whole Wheat Breakfast Crepes

Don't be intimidated by the name, trust me these are so easy and so delicious. Anything that says "whole wheat" has always made me nervous, I've always thought it meant so much extra work but really all I had to do was buy whole wheat flour, go figure! ; )

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (Little hint: Look at the ingredients list and make sure the first ingredient doesn't say "enriched" anywhere. You can also use all-purpose flour)

3 Tbs. sugar

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup skim milk (I only had 1% and it turned out just fine)

2 large eggs, beaten

2 Tbs. butter, plus more for frying

1. In a mixing bowl, blend flour, sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in milk. Add beaten eggs and continure mixing until the batter is smooth and creamy, with no lumps. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (or overnight). When ready to make the crepes, melt 2 Tbs. butter, add to batter and mix thoroughly.

2. Heat a small pan over medium heat. Brush the pan lightly with butter or oil (repeat for each new crepe. Pour 2 Tbs. of batter into the pan and tilt to spread evenly. Flip once browned.

For these berry crepes, just heat up a package of frozen mixed berries and add about 1-2 Tbs. sugar. In a separate cup mix together about 1/2 cup water and 1 Tbs. cornstarch and pour in while stirring berry mixture. (Sorry this is a recipe that my mom made up so I don't have exact measurements, I just go by what feels right). Fold and put a dollop of whipped cream on top. You can also sprinkle powdered sugar on top and any fresh berries you might have.

For these Nutella and banana crepes, simply spread on nutella and sliced fresh banana, fold, and enjoy! (Trust me, they'll change your life) If you have extra banana slices left over, put in a ziploc bag and freeze for a smoothie later on!